'I am not like the others' Working class lad made good steps up as PM candidate

Youthful Steven Crabb, 43, said he is not afraid of being the underdog against his posh Tory candidates such as Etonian Boris Johnson and that he want to lead the UK as it breaks away from the EU.

Several contenders to run the ruling party are expected, but Boris is the bookies’ favourite after taking part in the successful Leave campaign.

The former Welsh secretary, who was born in Scotland, also spoke of the need to bring the United Kingdom together and vowed controlling immigration was "a red line" in Brexit negotiations.

Mr Crabb said the Leave vote last week has left society "divided".

SG

BLUE COLLAR TICKET: Tory leadership candidate Stephen Crabb

“A United Kingdom without Scotland is not a United Kingdom”

Prime Minister candidate Stephen Crabb

"A United Kingdom without Scotland is not a United Kingdom, a Great Britain without Scotland is not a Great Britain.

"I really worry about how we're going to stitch this all back together.

"When you're the governing party, disunity has wider implications."

Mr Crabb is being backed by Business Secretary Sajid Javid.

GETTY/DS

PARTY TIME: Stephen Crabb and Sajid Javid ready to rumble with Boris Johnson for the leadership

Mr Crabb indicated he would call a snap election to win a personal mandate from the country."The answer to the question of instability is not to create further uncertainty," he said.

Setting out his personal history, Mr Crabb said he was born in Scotland before moving to Wales where he had a "fabulous education at a really good comprehensive school across the road from the council house where I lived" –a clear attempt to illustrate the differences between himself and Mr Johnson.

He also delivered a swipe at the former mayor over Mr Johnson's previous comments on the leadership: "On the rainy rugby fields of West Wales I learned that it is not a question of waiting for the ball to pop out of the back of the scrum."